ExploreWYO Brings Hidden Attractions Into View

If you’re looking for a way to spice up your summer road trips here in Wyoming, there’s a new tool to enjoy landmarks you might otherwise miss.

ExploreWYO is a map-based website — optimized for smartphones — featuring close to 400 videos produced by the University of Wyoming Extension. These 90-second stories dive into little-known-facts about Wyoming’s landscape and culture from wildlife and geology to cattle grazing and energy production.

David Keto from the University of Wyoming Extension produced the videos and helped create the website. He said the app-version is great for road trips. For example if, “you are going by Casper and Hell’s Half Acre and you want to know: What’s this weird geology that I’m seeing?” He says, “That’s a good time to open up the app. It’s map based so you can zoom right in and tap the icon by your location.”

Keto said you can use it on the fly as you pass something noticeable or you can use it to plan a detour.

“As you’re looking ahead and you see a video that interests you, you can link to Google maps and it will give you directions for how to get there.”

The map is designed to get you off the beaten path and learning more about Wyoming’s natural history. For more information, visit ExploreWYO.

Wyoming is scrambling to prepare for the August 21st total solar eclipse which could attract so many people here that it'll double the state's population. But one thing many people may not be prepared for is what to watch for in a total solar eclipse. Wyoming Public Radio's Melodie Edwards sat down with University of Wyoming astronomer Mike Pierce to get some tips. Pierce says this eclipse is known as the Great American solar eclipse because the shadow of it will race at almost 2,000 miles an hour across the entire U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina.

Many communities and hotels in Wyoming are preparing for a busy few days surrounding the August eclipse. State Parks Administrator Dominic Bravo says that it should be very busy in parks along the eclipse.

When Community Naturalist Zach Hutchinson moved to Wyoming three years ago, he had trouble finding updated guide books for where to find the best places in the state to view birds. So in his spare time, he started creating a map. This summer, in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Audubon Society, he plans to release an app called the Great Wyoming Birding Trail.

“Let’s say you’re coming to the National Parks in the northwest corner to see the great grey owl, but you have no idea where to start. This is going to put you in the place to see that great grey owl.”

This month the PBS television show called Travels with Darley comes to Wyoming. The episode will air Monday night, April 17th at 10 p.m. on Wyoming PBS. The host Darley Newman joins Bob Beck to discuss the show.